Foundational Guide
Enactive Dao isn't dogmatic, but we do have a practice built upon a strong foundation rooted in ancient wisdom, modern psychology and cognitive science. Use these principles and processes to create your own practice based upon what works for you.
The Three Treasures
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In Enactive Dao, we embrace the Three Treasures - compassion, moderation, and humility, as guiding lights on our journey.
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Kindness is our paintbrush, helping us color our world with compassion and understanding. It encourages us to nurture all life forms and deepen our ecological awareness, recognizing that we're all dancing together in this grand cosmic ballet.
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Moderation is our compass, guiding us towards balance and harmony, urging us to make mindful, measured moves, honoring life's rhythms without excess. It reminds us that true abundance isn't about having more, but about truly appreciating what we have.
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Humility is our anchor, grounding us amidst life's ebb and flow. It encourages us to maintain an open heart and mind, to be fully present in our actions, learning and growing from each experience. By embodying these treasures, we don't just dance to the music of Dao; we become the music, a symphony of compassion, moderation, and humility, resonating with the timeless rhythm of the universe.
The Three Sacred Gifts
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In the gentle dance of Dao, we cradle The Three Sacred gifts of Acceptance, Compassion, and Forgiveness as precious pearls of wisdom.
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Acceptance is like the calm surface of a moonlit lake, mirroring reality without distortion. It encourages us to openly receive life's changing rhythms, flowing with the currents without resistance, finding peace amidst the dance.
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Compassion is a warm embrace that enfolds us and others in a cloak of deep listening and understanding. It guides our actions, inspiring us to care deeply for ourselves, others, and the world we all share.
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Forgiveness is our key to liberation, unbinding us from the chains of resentment and regret. It's an act of love towards ourselves and others, a gentle reminder that we are all learners in this dance of life, and that mistakes are stepping stones on our journey of growth. In the harmonious dance of Dao, we cherish these gifts and let them illuminate our path, like soft moonlight guiding us through the mystical dance of life.
Ten Ways to Engage
The Three Treasures and The Three Sacred Gifts are the basics and must be continuously practiced to maintain spiritual health. Beyond these are ten Enactive Dao processes that can deepen and enrich your practice, ensuring it never gets stale or remains superficial. The Ten Ways to Engage complement each other and are not thought of as separate, but as reinforcing and harmonizing with each other.
Embodied Awareness
Cultivate an embodied awareness by anchoring your attention in the present moment. Observe the sensations, movements, and energetic flow within your body, fostering a deep connection with your somatic experience.
Wu Wei
(Effortlessness Action)
Embrace a non-striving attitude, allowing thoughts, emotions, and experiences to arise and pass without grasping or resistance. Practice being in the flow of the present moment, without striving for specific outcomes or attaching to fixed concepts. Cultivate a state of effortlessness, allowing your actions to arise spontaneously from a place of deep listening and attunement to the environment.
Holding Paradox
Hold space for paradoxical thinking and the acceptance of contradictions. Allow yourself to hold opposing perspectives simultaneously, recognizing that reality is multifaceted and transcends simple dualities. Perspective matters immensely.
Connecting with Nature
Spend time in nature and cultivate a deep connection with the natural world. Observe the cycles, patterns, and wisdom inherent in nature, drawing inspiration and guidance from the natural elements.
Attention to Detail
The order of the universe is detailed beyond comprehension. By paying attention to detail, we are trying to discern the tiniest of signals in the environment so that we can handle potential problems when they are small. Organisms must find the tiniest of niches to get resources that others cannot obtain. By paying attention to detail, we prepare ourselves better for handling situations before they become unmanageable.
Playfulness & Creativity
Zhuangzi is the Daoist ancestor who brings a sense of humor to Dao. Cultivate a spirit of playfulness and creativity in your practice. Explore different modalities of expression, such as art, movement, or improvisation, to engage with your innate capacity for creative expression.
Stillness
Dedicate time to contemplation and stillness, creating space for deep introspection and reflection. Allow thoughts and experiences to settle, facilitating insights and a deeper understanding of oneself and the nature of consciousness.
Harmony & Interconnectedness
Recognize the interdependence and interconnectedness of all things. Nurture a sense of interconnectedness between yourself, others, and the natural world. Cultivate harmonious relationships with others and the world around you. Practice kindness, empathy, and understanding, extending compassion beyond human beings to encompass all living beings and the environment itself.
Embracing Impermanence
Embrace constant change and impermanence. Develop an acceptance of the ever-shifting nature of existence, allowing yourself to flow with the currents of change rather than resisting or clinging to fixed states.
Embody a World
We enact a world brought forth through an interaction between our bodies and the environment. When we understand that it is our responsibility to care for the world we bring forth, profound insights arise that lead us in new directions.